J Korean Phys Ther.  2022 Feb;34(1):6-11. 10.18857/jkpt.2022.34.1.6.

Comparison of the Lower Trapezius Muscle Activity during Three Different Shoulder Flexion Exercises in Healthy Subjects

• Hwang BH
• Jang TJ
• Jeon IC

• KMID: 2526912
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2022.34.1.6

Abstract

Purpose
This study investigated the muscle activity of the lower trapezius (LT) during three different shoulder flexion exercises.
Methods
Twenty-three subjects between 20 and 25 years of age were enrolled. The subjects were asked to perform three different shoulder flexion exercises: 1) shoulder flexion in prone (SFP), 2) shoulder flexion in push-up with a swiss ball (SFPUS) and 3) shoulder flexion in a quadruped position with a swiss ball (SFQPS) in random order. The muscle activity of LT during each shoulder flexion exercise was measured by using surface electromyography. The muscle activity of LT was compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test among three different shoulder flexion exercises. The statistical significance level was set at α = 0.01.
Results
The muscle activity of LT was significantly different among three different shoulder flexion exercises (SFP, SFPUS, and SFQPS). The LT muscle activity with SFQPS exercise was greater than SFP and SFPUS exercises (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in LT muscle activity between SFP and SFPUS exercises (p > 0.01).
Conclusion
The LT muscle activity was greater during SFQPS than SFP and SFPUS. Therefore, SFQPS exercise can be recommended for selectively activation of LT muscle.

Keyword

Base of support; Lower trapezius; Shoulder flexion; Muscle activation